Leone’s Lessons: What is under-reach? It’s a term we use in the
setup for a pitch shot. The pitching wedge and sand wedge are the
heaviest clubs in the bag. The weight of the clubhead tends to
cause your arms to overextend beyond the point where the clubhead
was at address, and the result is a premature unhinging of the
wrist, causing the club to hit the ground before the ball
— or under-reach.
What is under-reach? It’s a term we use in the setup for a pitch shot.
The pitching wedge and sand wedge are the heaviest clubs in the bag. The weight of the clubhead tends to cause your arms to overextend beyond the point where the clubhead was at address, and the result is a premature unhinging of the wrist, causing the club to hit the ground before the ball — or under-reach.
To ensure the club makes contact with the ball and ground at the same time, set up with your weight slightly on your front foot. Choke halfway down on the grip and hover the clubhead slightly above the ground just behind the ball. Holding the club loosely, swing your arms to the desired backswing position.
Remember, a pitch shot is like a mini full swing. You need to initiate the forward swing with a little knee action toward the target. This will allow the gravity of your arms and the weight of the club to drop and unhinge correctly, hitting the ground and the ball at the same time. Your body and club should release through turning slightly to the target.
